Many surgical procedures require that a patient's limb or limbs be placed in a number of different positions for the performance of the surgical procedure. It is desirable that the operating surgeon or surgical assistant be able to move the limb into positions and configurations that may be required during the course of the surgical procedure. It is also desirable that any positioning apparatus that may be used to achieve such positions and configurations not obstruct the surgical site or prevent the use of other devices, such as medical imaging systems, operating room lights, instrument trays, or other apparatus.
There are several devices known in the art for supporting the limb(s) (e.g., the arm or leg) of a patient. These supports can be used in a variety of settings. Many of the supports, though, are not adjustable, which limits their therapeutic value to some patients and medical professionals. Of those supports that allow some adjustment, there is generally a lack of full access to areas of the limb during the performance of medical procedures.
In addition, some devices known in the art for supporting the limb of a patient cannot be easily disassembled or collapsed for transport or storage and generally cannot be easily sterilized. Devices currently in use do not satisfactorily meet the need for a limb positioner that is adjustable and that provides easy and full 360° access to desired portions of a patient's limb, such as the patient's knee and portions of the leg surrounding the knee, during, e.g., surgery, evaluation, or rehabilitation.
Thus, there remains a need for a device that adequately supports a patient's limb(s) (e.g., the arm or leg) during, e.g., a surgical procedure, such as knee or elbow surgery, that does not prevent surgical access to the patient's limb, that allows the performance of standard procedures during surgery (e.g., computer-assisted surgery using either electromagnetic or infrared sources of sensor positioning, x-ray imaging, or magnetic reasonance imaging (MRI)), and that can be easily sterilized, transported, and stored.